- Mar 11, 2023
- 2 min read

Global Women's Struggle: A Visual Chronicle of M8

The following is a photographic and video record of the worldwide mobilisation of women fighting for their rights on the occasion of International Women’s Day, 2023. The photos are from actions that occurred on the day itself when women sometimes came out on strike and, in the case of Turkey, directly defied the authorities' ban on the march. The demonstration in Kabul, Afghanistan was tiny, but the fact that it took place at all was testimony to the immense bravery and determination of the women involved.

This stands in stark contrast to the anodyne celebrations of this day marked by floral gifts and birthday-type greetings, which are the antithesis of a day born from the struggle of working women.

Fortunately, this visual record provides a refreshing and timely reminder of its true significance.

From Kabul in Afghanistan to Bogota in Colombia, and from Paris in France to Pristina in Kosovo, hundreds of thousands of women have marched to fight for equal opportunites, reproductive rights and an end to male violence. Invariably, this has brought them into conflict with the established order. In some instances, it has also demonstrated the power of this as part of a broader fight against capitalism.

The photos are taken from 20 different countries

We begin with France, where there was a women's general strike and mobilisation called jointly by the trades unions and women's organisations. The video below provides a great insight into the struggle of working women in France in the context of Macron's attack on pension rights

Please click on the photos to get full size and slideshow facility. Where possible, I have added English subtitles to the photos. In some cases, this has not been possible but the photos themselves provide their own illustration.

France